Statistics:
- Length:
- 38 km
- Termini:
- Eastern: Greensborough Hwy (MR46), Greensborough
- Western: Princes Fwy (M1), Laverton North
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- Laverton North, Sunshine West, Deer Park, Cairnlea, St Albans, Kealba, Keilor East, Keilor Park, Tullamarine, Gowanbrae, Glenroy, Fawkner, Thomastown and Greensborough
Route Numbering:
- Current: M80
- Former: M80 80
- Road Authority Internal Classification:
- 1880 (Fawkner to Greensborough)
- 1900 (Laverton North to Fawkner)
General Information:
M80 is a key transport route through Melbourne's western and northern suburbs. It's freeway standard for the entire length, and connects several major routes and destinations with each other, including Hume Freeway, Melbourne Airport, Western Freeway, etc.
The Metropolitan Ring Road section was once known as Northern Ring Road. 2
History:
- February 1989: Construction commenced on the Broadmeadows section of the Western Ring Road. 3
- 20 September 1992: Broadmeadows section (Stage 1, Tullamarine Freeway to Pascoe Vale Road), opened to traffic. 3 4
- 7 July 1993: Broadmeadows section (Stage 2, Pascoe Vale Road to Sydney Road), opened to traffic. This section includes the Jacana Tunnel, which won an Excellence Award in the Public Works category awards by the Institution of Engineers Australia.
- April 1994: The Northern Ring Road opened to traffic between Greensborough Bypass and Plenty Road. 5
- July 1995: The Maribyrnong section (Ballarat Road to Keilor Park Drive), opened to traffic. 6
- 18 August 1995: The official opening of EJ Whitten Bridge over the Maribyrnong River at Keilor East was performed by the then Premier of Victoria, Jeff Kennett. 7
- 6 March 1996: The Ardeer section (Boundary Road to Ballarat Road) opened to traffic. 7
- October 1996: Princes Freeway interchange to Boundary Road. 8
- 28 November 1996: The section of the Metropolitan Ring Road from Dalton Road to Plenty Road was opened to traffic. 8
- December 1996: Keilor Park Drive to Calder Freeway, opened to traffic. 8
- April 1997: Construction commenced on the final 6 km link in the northern section of the Metropolitan Ring Road between the Hume Highway (now Sydney Road) at Campbellfield and Dalton Road in Thomastown. 8
- 5 June 1997: The final section of Western Ring Road between the Calder Freeway and the Tullamarine Freeway opened to traffic. 8
- 20 August 1999: The 6 km Sydney Road to Dalton Road section of the Metropolitan Ring Road opened to traffic. 9
- 21 December 2004: Hume Fwy (M31) interchange opens at Thomastown. 10
- 2009: Construction began on the upgrade and widening of the M80 from Princes Freeway at Laverton North to the Greensborough Highway at Greensborough.
- May 2013: Completion of the first stage of widening involved widening the 9.7 km stretch from Calder Freeway to Sydney Road from 6 to 8 lanes. 11
- August 2013: Completion of the M80 upgrade between the Western Highway and Sunshine Avenue section. 11
- April 2014: Completion of widening the Edgars Road to Plenty Road section. 11
- September 2018: Completion of widening on the Sunshine Avenue to Calder Freeway section. 11
- 2020: The upgrade of the Sydney Road to Edgars Road section of M80 started. 12
- May 2022: Completion of the upgrade of the Sydney Road to Edgars Road section. 12
1 VIC Government, VicRoads, Road Maintenance Plan, 2020-2021, 07 December 2020.
2 The Age, Ring road plan altered before case, Andrew Heasley, October 31 2002.
3 VIC Government, VicRoads, Annual Report 1992-93, 29 September 1993.
4 Australasian Transport News, Western Ring Road now open, 30 September 1992.
5 VIC Government, VicRoads, Annual Report 1993-94, 30 September 1994.
6 Paul Mees, The short term effects of Melbourne's Western Ring Road, 2001.
7 VIC Government, VicRoads, Annual Report 1995-96, 18 October 1996.
8 VIC Government, VicRoads, Annual Report 1996-97, 27 August 1997.
9 VIC Government, VicRoads, Annual Report 1999-2000, 19 October 2000.
10 VIC Government, Minister of Public Transport, Media Release, Community Helps to open the first section of Craigieburn Bypass, 21 December 2004.
11 VIC Government, Major Road Projects Victoria, M80 Upgrade.
12 VIC Government, Major Road Projects Victoria, M80 Upgrade: Sydney Road to Edgars Road.